Senator Sanford responds to Common Core contention

From the capitol to every school board across the state of Alabama, the Common Core curriculum is a topic of contention.

Thursday night, that contention spilled into the Huntsville School Board meeting when Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski voiced his opinion about what he thinks of Senator Paul Sanford's support of SB 443.

"The bill is diabolical," said Wardynski.

During the meeting, Wardynski called the legislation an insult to the community and said Sanford never attends the district's legislative agenda meetings.

Sanford defends the legislation, saying he reached out to Wardynski and the school board on multiple occasions through email and letters and he never heard back.

"The last meeting we were going to have was in December and I had less than 24 hours notice to get there because of other situations," Sanford explained. "I've got a business to run, I've got schedules to keep, and other meetings to be at. I can't drop everything because this gentleman thinks he's the most important person in the city of Huntsville. He's not."

Sanford said he was frustrated that Superintendent Wardynski made the negative comments about him at the meet. He said the legislation allowed districts local control, and he's more than happy to talk to the superintendent about the legislation or any other issue the superintendent has.

Sanford believed Wardynski's comments were politically motivated based on the fact that Huntsville City School Board President David Blair is running against him in the upcoming election.

The State Senator said he has an open door policy and the superintendent is more than welcome to visit him at his restaurant to discuss the legislation.

The legislation co-sponsored by Sanford is waiting for committee action.